As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
A typical laptop computing device can include a liquid crystal display (LCD) that is backlit by a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL). A CCFL can have a limited lifetime of approximately fifteen thousand hours (15,000 hrs). This time is based on the time that it takes the brightness, or luminance, of the CCFL to drop from an initial value to fifty percent (50%) of that initial value. The life of the CCFL can be a major factor in the number of laptop computing devices returned to the manufacturer to be replaced under warranty. In fact, approximately thirty-three percent (33%) of returned laptop computing devices are returned due to a dim CCFL.
The brightness, or luminance, of the CCFL is directly proportional to the lamp current, i.e., as the lamp current increases, the brightness increases. However, the life of the CCFL is indirectly proportional to the lamp current, as the lamp current increases, the life of the CCFL decreases. A laptop computing device is typically manufactured with a maximum brightness that is based on a factory set lamp current that is optimized between the power consumption and the brightness target. This maximum brightness is not adjustable by the user.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved laptop computing device with a system and method of controlling maximum lamp luminance.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.